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Dr Rangan ChatterjeeDr Rangan Chatterjee

If You Breathe Like This, Don’t Ignore It- It’s Costing You Your Sleep, Brain & Health: James Nestor

This episode is brought to you by: AG1: Get FREE AG1 Flavour Sampler, AGZ Sampler, Vitamin D3+K2 and Welcome Kit with your first AG1 subscription (worth $87, US only) https://bit.ly/43FwxQl VIVOBAREFOOT: Get 15% off your first order https://links.drchatterjee.com/4nqvRI3 Listening to this conversation could help you sleep better, quit snoring, and wake refreshed. You’ll learn a simple trick to stop anxiety in its tracks, and find out how to keep asthma and high blood pressure in check. And the secret to all these health gains? It really is a breath of fresh air… I’m talking to James Nestor, a science journalist and the author of international bestseller Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art. James spent a decade investigating why so many of us breathe badly and what happens when we get it right. And he’s here today to pass on some ancient wisdom, through the lens of modern science. We all know the feeling of shallow, rapid breathing that sets in when you’re anxious or stressed. And you don’t have to be a breathwork guru to recognise the power of a slow inhalation and exhalation to make you feel… ahh… grounded and calm. James’s message is that better breathing really is that simple. It’s about tuning in to how well you’re using your lungs, your diaphragm – and your nose. In this episode, we get into why something as simple as switching from mouth breathing to nasal breathing could transform your health. We talk about a fascinating piece of research showing that lung size could be the single biggest predictor of how long you live. James shares the evidence that many chronic and unexpected health conditions can be improved and even reversed through better breathing – something doctors aren’t taught and don’t tell you. And he measures the CO2 levels in my studio, which leads to a conversation about indoor air quality that I was not expecting. It might change the way you think about your home, your office, your airline choice and your next hotel room. Perhaps the most exciting thing about this conversation is how simple and accessible everything we discuss is. The foundations of healthy breathing don’t cost a thing. You don’t need a gadget, a retreat, or a prescription. You just need to unlearn some key habits and start making small changes – for big results. #feelbetterlivemore Connect with James: Website https://www.mrjamesnestor.com/ https://www.instagram.com/mrjamesnestor/ https://www.facebook.com/mrjamesnestor James’s book: Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art UK https://amzn.to/4tctHik US https://amzn.to/4uZC5Ub #feelbetterlivemore #feelbetterlivemorepodcast ------- Order MAKE CHANGE THAT LASTS. US & Canada version https://amzn.to/3RyO3SL, UK version https://amzn.to/3Kt5rUK ----- Follow Dr Chatterjee at: Website: https://drchatterjee.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drchatterjee Twitter: https://twitter.com/drchatterjeeuk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drchatterjee/ Newsletter: https://drchatterjee.com/subscription DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Dr. Rangan ChatterjeehostJames Nestorguest
Apr 1, 20262h 15mWatch on YouTube ↗

At a glance

WHAT IT’S REALLY ABOUT

How dysfunctional breathing harms sleep, stress, and health—and fixes it

  1. Nestor argues that many people “breathe wrong” (over-breathe and mouth-breathe), which can measurably shift the nervous system toward chronic stress and worsen sleep, energy, blood pressure, and respiratory symptoms.
  2. The core foundational intervention is becoming an obligate nasal breather day and night, using simple self-tests, gradual training, and (for some) aids like nasal strips or cautious mouth taping.
  3. A Stanford-style self-experiment described in the conversation found rapid increases in snoring and sleep-disordered breathing during forced mouth breathing, which resolved with nasal breathing and mouth taping.
  4. The episode links breathing mechanics (diaphragm use and full exhalation) to lung function, athletic performance, aging, and even structural issues, highlighting overlooked historical methods like Carl Stough’s exhale-focused rehabilitation work.
  5. Beyond personal technique, indoor air quality—especially elevated CO2 in buildings, hotel rooms, studios, planes—can impair cognition, sleep, and wellbeing, and is often fixable by increasing ventilation.

IDEAS WORTH REMEMBERING

5 ideas

Treat breathing like nutrition: “alive” isn’t the same as “healthy.”

Nestor compares breathing to eating and sleeping—everyone does it, but quality matters; dysfunctional patterns can drive headaches, hypertension, sleep apnea risk, and downstream chronic disease.

Nasal breathing is the foundation; breathwork comes later.

He frames most benefits as coming from basic “healthy breathing” (nose breathing, slower rate, quieter breaths) before advanced methods like Wim Hof or intense pranayama.

Snoring is a red flag for sleep stress, not a harmless quirk.

Snoring often signals mouth breathing or nasal obstruction; using snore-recording apps over a week can provide a baseline and show whether interventions reduce events.

Introduce mouth taping gradually and selectively.

Nestor now recommends starting daytime for short periods (e.g., 20 minutes) and progressing to naps before nights; severe sleep apnea and individual tolerance require caution and medical input.

Soft, slow, diaphragmatic breathing can interrupt panic/asthma spirals.

Over-breathing during an asthma-like constriction can worsen symptoms; practicing subtle nasal breathing (shoulders still, belly gently expanding) trains a calmer default response.

WORDS WORTH SAVING

5 quotes

We can all eat. We can all sleep. That doesn't mean you're sleeping well, and that doesn't mean you're eating well.

— James Nestor

The number one most important thing that people need to do is to become an obligate nasal breather.

— James Nestor

In a single night of converting to mouth-only breathing, my snoring went up about an hour and a half from zero.

— James Nestor

If you fully exhale, guess what? You're able to fully inhale.

— James Nestor

In some hotels we found that around one in every 20 to 25 breaths you're taking is someone else's exhalation.

— James Nestor

Breathing skepticism and real-time biofeedbackMouth breathing vs nasal breathingSnoring, sleep apnea, and mouth tapingAsthma, over-breathing, and CO2 toleranceDiaphragm range, exhalation training, and COPD historyBreath holds, anxiety, and mind–body controlIndoor CO2, ventilation, hotels, and flightsLung capacity as a longevity marker

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